Map of the Month: meet the nerd behind the Trust maps for an insider glimpse into the world of cartography in this monthly blog series.
by Stephanie Smith, GIS Director
Not long after my arrival at the Trust, I was asked to create a map of all the uranium claims and mines surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.
Without hesitation I said, “sure, absolutely,” without pondering the gravity of such a request. It didn’t take long for my brain to catch up.
Scratching my head in confusion, I asked: “What do you mean uranium mining at the Grand Canyon?”
As I began to layer the existing mines, proposed mines, and thousands of uranium claims on the map (with the help of data collected and compiled by the Environmental Working Group), I realized I, like many people, had naively assumed that this breathtaking landscape was protected from such risk.
Looking at the map, I was struck by the proximity of mines to the north and south rims of the park—including an abandoned mine within the park boundary, and dumbfounded by the sheer number of claims across the landscape. For some, this reality comes as no surprise, but it forever changed how I view the “protection” of our public lands.